Customer Reviews

Earthling

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am always constantly impressed with how David Bowie easily slips out of one form of music and into another. In a day and age when techo beats are popular but lame, and I spend hours cowering in my room stuck musically in the 70's, this album pops out and suddenly I am back in the 90's again. Bowie flirts heavily with a Trent Reznor-like sound, but with his amazing voice, this experimental album works very well. The best track is "I'm Afraid of Americans." It just starts off and builds to this LOUD chorus. This is a good album to get if you are like me, not really into the 90's sound, but still are able to appreciate genius when you hear it (although I will always love the 70's Bowie glam more).

If I were a cynical little bugger, I might be inclined to say that Earthling finds Bowie in reactionary mode, hopping onto a trend instead of culling one of his own. I am not, however, a cynical little bugger. I fancy myself an open-minded, fair individual who judges things on their actual merit instead of first impressions. Therefore, being the wonderfully insightful person that I am, I am willing to accept that Bowie came about his obsession with the drums-and-bass branch of techno in a less than cynical manner, immersing himself in this style because he genuinely liked it, and not because it was perceived by other critics (much more cynical than myself) as the latest and greatest, bound to be next-big-thing.

Needless to say, `drums `n' bass' never was the next big thing. In reality, it barely got off the ground, since it appealed only to club-fiends with dilated pupils, who liked their music to be as underground as possible. That's quite a shame for them, though, because Earthling just might be one of the best drum-and-bass-style techno albums ever made. Unlike the huge majority of artists who dabble in the blips, bleeps and hyperkinetic rhythms that define this style, Bowie does not choose to neglect other more fundamentally sound ingredients, such as a real `song', or a genuine `melody'. In the rush to be the hippest DJ on the block, most purveyors of drums and bass don't even try to create `songs' or melodies, with the end result sounding as though it was created by some kid who forgot to take his Ritalin. Bowie was and always will be primarily a songwriter, and this album is all the richer for it.

More than half of Earthling consists of near spastic syncopations, all of which are imaginatively constructed under some very good songs. `Under' is the key word here, since the songs could exist without the production and still sound pretty damn good. The arrangements here are genuinely fun, though, with sounds panning left and right, stopping and starting on the head of a pin, all in service to the song. To hear what this could sound like without the context of a talent like Bowie at the helm, check out just about anything by, say, Aphex Twin. There, the rhythmic skeleton exists for its own sake. Here, Bowie provides meat for the bones, giving you something to hum and think about while contorting yourself. A song like "Little Wonder" is a little wonder of its own devices, as is "Dead Man Walking". The songs that aren't so kinetically inclined are just as interesting; "I'm Afraid of Americans" is a humorous depiction of paranoia, with Bowie recoiling from a culture that inspires instant gratification and consumerism (as well as a free pass to the next big thing). Of course, Bowie's tongue is buried deep in his cheek here, especially considering that he remains one of the best purveyors of contemporary culture that we have. God bless him. A- Tom Ryan

Bowie's late 90's techno-pop experiment was a large departure for the chameleon king. Considering that nearly the entire album is drenched in programming and drum loops, it's nearly mechanical with no soul. Even so, there is an addictive quality to its musical presence. The opening track, "Little Wonder", is a hypnotical dance number that has drum patches bouncing around the speakers like gun spray. "Seven Years In Tibet" presents a much needed relief from the frenzy, until the chorus kicks in with a serious graveness. The layering of guitars and keyboards is fantastic. However, the lyrics in "Telling Lies" and "Looking For Satellites" are grating, repetitive and tiresome. A great standout cut is "I'm Afraid Of Americans", with a heavy bass-laden nastiness and some keyboard work with old buddy Brian Eno. The lyrics are funny and shocking at the same time. It's no little wonder that Bowie used this song as the album's representative cut on his collection set.

... and I mean that. I'm not gushing unjustly. This is a perfect package from the bottom up.

Most of the criticisms of this album take into account that Bowie was 50 years old at the time, like techno is strictly a young person's game. It's sad to think that, had a 20-year-old recorded EXACTLY this album, in the same time and place, I'm almost certain it would have been huge. HUGE. But because it was done by Bowie, people attached the weight of his age and his musical history to it, which is missing the point entirely. Take this album on its own, as it is, without any preconceived notions or ageism or anything, and this is a real firecracker.

Frankly, if anything, Bowie's experience only makes the album better than what a 20-year-old could have done. The songs are actually structured like pop-rock, with moving chord progressions, ice-water piano, live drums mixed seamlessly with programmed ones, and some of the best vocals of Bowie's career (or, for that matter, anyone's). This is not like any other techno out there, at all. There's literally NOTHING ELSE LIKE THIS ALBUM. It's entirely unique. That really makes me sad, because this album is so spectacular, I want more like it.

One thing I find particularly interesting about this album is that there is a subtle A-side/B-side quality. It may not be apparent right away, because the division is not nearly as obvious as it is on Low or "Heroes", but it's there. All the songs in the first half of the album, from "Little Wonder" through "Dead Man Walking," are positively-charged and upbeat - with the exception of "Seven Years In Tibet," which is venomous, a sizzling acid burn. Then, from "Telling Lies" through "LAW (Earthlings On Fire)", the album takes a dark, ominous turn. There's a distinct sense of foreboding and danger in this second half. It's a very clever arrangement. This album is so flawless, I wouldn't even change the order of tracks!

In iTunes, one can rate individual tracks from 0 to 5 stars. This is the ONLY album to which I have given solid five-star ratings. "Little Wonder" and "Telling Lies," being perhaps the least utterly amazing tracks on the album (and ironically, also the first two singles from it), I had initially given four stars each, simply because it felt wrong to say an album is perfect. I finally gave in and gave them five stars as well, because honestly, were I given the option to tell Bowie what to change about those tracks to make them even better, I'd tell him not to change a thing.

This really is a perfect album. Whether someone new to it is going to like it or not really depends on their expectations, biases, and so on, moreso than strictly the album itself. But if one can strip away all that baggage and just let the album stand on its own merits, I expect they'll be blown away. To anyone who can do that, I recommend this album most highly.

Despite a couple of impressive songs (the energetic "Little Wonder" or "Dead Man Walking"), this Bowie attempt at trying drum n` bass/ trip-hop/ electro territory turns out a bit uneven and not too engaging. It`s a competent and listenable effort, still most of the moments here are just curious yet ultimately forgettable experiments. While it`s not downright bad, it ends up being tiresome and far from gripping. It already souds dated at parts, which doesn`t help, although I can see how it was a breath of fresh air when it came out in the mid-nineties.
A decent album, but far from a keeper.

The frightening, ghostly brand of spaced-out rock which has defined Bowie in the 90s was best represented by 1995's 'Outside'. At once ethereal and industrial, the formula worked with Bowie's big, dramatic stylings. 'Outside' was one of his better efforts in years.

'Earthling' is the natural evolution of Bowie's industrial forray - to where else but electronica could the relentless, mechanical tempos arrive? The layered, dense instrumentation of 'Outside' has been replaced, or usurped, by a supremely dark cocktail of synthesized beats, blips and riffs. Reeves Gabrel's guitar mastery is almost overshadowed by the electronic elements, which threaten to drown out otherwise interesting tracks 'telling lies' and 'dead man walking'.

Among the album's best tracks, 'battle for britain (the letter)' encapsulates the surreal, energetic sense of drama which makes Bowie great: "on a better day i'll take you by the hand and walk you through the doors / don't you let my letter get you down". 'dead man walking' recalls the chilly, glamorous futurism of 'Outside's 'hallo spaceboy'.

Unfortunately, one can't help but wish to hear these tracks without the synthesized accents. While promoting 'Earthling', Bowie performed many of these songs live with a compliment of instruments similar to those used on 'Outside' - they sounded incerdible. The techno effects on 'Earthling' are interesting, but ultimately, they feel like a distraction.

David Bowie-Earthling ***1/2

Is it worth owning? Well yes...but only for the simple fact that all Bowies work is worth owning. Bowie's willingness to try anything once is commendable, and his knack for creating new genres of music and latching on to new ones as they pop up is merritt worthy. Not when he tries to cram it all into one album, or even song as he does sometimes here on Earthling. While this album did bring a lot of what Prodigy and Nine Inch Nails did to the mainstream (mainly the latter) this was not his best attempt at industrial and trip-hop or house or whatever you want to call it. The bottom line is that almost everything on this album, he did better somewhere else. With a few exceptions of course.

'Little Wonder' despite the repeat of the title over, and over again is a surprisingly great opener. The electro background makes for a great canvas for Bowies vocals. 'Looking For Satellites' works better than it should. The guitar work rivals that of Robert Fripps in the 1970's. The theme behind the lyrics is also one of his strongest. 'Battle For Britain' is brilliant, simply put. 'Im Afraid Of Americans' the big hit single is one of Bowies all time greats, no question about it. The same can be said for 'Dead Man Walking' which might be Bowies strongest release since 'Fashion.' The rest of the album however is below the radar so to speak. It is hardly listenable. And what works perfect on the rest of the albums fails on all the remaining tracks.

Erathiling is not Bowies best album, and it isn't even in his top ten but it has enough not worthy tracks to make it worth owning. More than that I will go so far as to say two of his all time best songs can be found here making this release essential, minus it's low rating if you can believe it.

While many might scoff at this album and its production, I happen to be smitten by "Earthling." Maybe it's the insistence associated with the whole drum-and-bass thing, or perhaps it's the catchy nature of the tracks, but this album is by far one of my favourite late-period Bowie releases. Unlike the bloated "1.Outside", this is a lean, mean and aggressive little album. Despite placing a now-exhausted techno approach at the forefront of the mix, "Earthling" succeeds showing us a re-invigorated Bowie. And while he's got the irksome noisenik Reeves Gabrels on guitar duty, the music is still surprisingly tasteful. Below are my impressions of the original release's 9 songs:

1. Little Wonder- Boy, what a way to kick off an album! Standard jungle clitter-clatter plus gee-tar noise, meshed with jazzy piano, makes for a great song. The lyrics are good fun and are eminently memorable. The midsection is a bit cluttered and pointless, but that's forgivable. "Little Wonder" is the first of many outstanding songs on the album, and it will likely become one of your favourite Bowie numbers.

2. Looking for Satellites- A goofy and ultimately pointless track. The lyrics themselves bear little connection to anything. It's literally Bowie listing things in a chant-like sort of manner. This track is not as propulsive as its predecessor, and it feel like a tedious plodder in comparison. There are some goofy spacey sounds throughout, and there's that fabled Reeves Gabrels guitar solo that's ultimately does nothing. That should have been obvious, given that we're talking about Gabrels. Irritating, and submerged in the mix. A waste of a track, as far as I can see.

3. The Letter (The Battle of Britain)- The album's tempo picks up on here, and the song itself keeps you hooked. Sparse guitar crunchiness adds to the drum and bass fun. Following the verses, the chorus finally strikes: "Don't you let my letter get you down!" followed by an echoey "Don't you, don't you, don't you". Suddenly, all we hear is Bowie and some dentist drill ambiance. The track picks up slowly and is soon back on track. But we then get derailed by a random out-of-tune show tune piano. Gotta love that old tyme jazzy interlude. That stops and we get more techno blipping. Echoey vocals follow and the track kicks into high gear once more. A rousing number that ends up being one of the album's many highlights.

4. Seven Years in Tibet- The album slows down again and we get some bizarre mix between slow jazz, looney toon animation and a dash of Reeves Gabrels feedback. Bowie's vocals begin softly, and then the LOUD dynamic kicks in. Good stuff. Unfortunately, the song rambles on for 6:21 and feels overlong.

5. Dead Man Walking- At first, this song didn't make that much of an impact on me. Upon further listening, I've noted that this song is more an upbeat techno song than a drum and bass track. The four on the floor beat keeps your head a-boppin', and the chorus will stay in your head. The sound effects are more prevalent than Gabrels noise, too. A nice and unexpected jazzy piano outro closes the song. Many I've spoken with hold this track in high regard, and I'm inclined to agree.

6. Telling Lies- The skittering beats are back, as is Reeves. The track is definitely on the moody side. Overall, the song itself is unremarkable: Bowie intoning "Teee-lling Liies" is the only thing that you might remember once the track is over.

7. The Last Thing You Should Do- Nice intro on this: Beats, computerized blips and an ambient synth. The lyrics imply that laughing is the worst possible action. It's a pretty paranoid track, and despite the beauty of its construction, it's not memorable. Oh, and Reeves drops by to throw pointless white noise.

8. I'm Afraid of Americans- I'd heard the V1 Radio Edit on "Best of Bowie," and a friend informed me that this version was different. My, how it is. The drums are more subdued, the blipping is more prominent and the infamous chorus sports a different instrumental crunch. If you know the V1 Edit, try this one for size: The disparities between both versions will bring a smile to your face.

9. Law (Earthlings on Fire)- The song kicks off with a sample that says "I don't want knowledge: I want certainty!" The beat kicks in, the best way I can describe it is "jungle" meets "space." It's got a heck of a dark mood, but its in your face. Samples abound, as does repetitive intonations by Bowie. It's head-spinning and dynamic and shiver-inducing. A heck of a way to close the album!

This album is short and to the point. Few of the songs on here are throwaways and most will burrow themselves deep in your consciousness. However, the heavy use of techno and drum-and-bass textures undermines the potency of many of the songs. Similarly, Reeves Gabrels presence hurts the album. As such, I'm giving this album 4.5 stars.

It's not perfect, its not for everyone, but those who approach it with an open mind will instantly fall in love with the tunes and the dynamics of the album.

This is techno/space/head-banging/emotional stuff all in one package. For the people who have problems with all the Changes Bowie goes through, THAT's Bowie. He is elastic and timeless. His old stuff is still fresh, his new stuff metamorphasizes with him.
If you want the same old song and dance, listen to aerosmith.
(which i like, btw).

I don't usually like or listen to much industrial music, but "Outside" was a really good CD. "Earthling" is the same way with me. I don't usually like jungle-dance music, but I still really like "Earthling." I'm not just saying that because I'm a big fan of his. He's just got this way of being able to turn something that's generally not so great into something amazing. Hell, I bet Bowie could make a rap CD and it would turn out decent! ...Then again...I don't think even he could save that trash. Now, moving on to "Earthling."

A couple of people say that this was his comeback album, but I think Bowie had made his comeback in 1993 with "The Buddha of Suburbia." It's a shame they put that out of print. The title track is one of his best songs of all time. Anyway, all the songs on here, except for one, are jungle dance songs. The one that isn't is "Seven Years In Tibet." It's industrial and sounds like something that could've been on "Outside." All the songs are great, except "Looking for Satellites" and "Telling Lies" are a little weaker than the others. But, those two are still very listenable and they don't really hurt the rest of the album at all. My favorites are "Battle For Britain," "Seven Years In Tibet," "Dead Man Walking," and "Earthlings on Fire."

I'll admit when I first listened to it, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. But when I listened to it again, I became addicted and now it's one of favorites right along with the rest of his albums. If you're new to David Bowie's music, I'm not really sure which CD to recommend picking up first, because each one sounds totally different. I guess I'd pick Hunky Dory or Aladdin Sane. If you aren't new to him, I highly recommend this. People are selling this CD on here for $0.01, so you wouldn't be out of much if you didn't end up liking it.